Building resilience in children

Building resilience in children after a failure is important for their growth and development. Here are some strategies to help your child build resilience:

Remind them that failure is a moment:

Differentiation is key. Remember that your child is not defined by the action they took (or didn't take).

Encourage and support failure:

Encourage your child to talk about their mistakes and what they learned from them. Studies have shown that protecting children from failure can make them more vulnerable to future experiences of failure.

Validate their desire to succeed:

Let your child know that it is okay to want to succeed and that you are proud of them for trying.

Respond positively to their failure:

Instead of focusing on the negative outcome, emphasize their efforts and the courage it took to try.

Emphasize effort over success:

Acknowledge their "right to fail," how hard they've worked, and how much courage they have for even trying.

Help them identify what they can do differently next time:

Ask your child what they could try differently next time and help them come up with a plan

Remember that building resilience in children takes time and effort.

Encouraging and supporting failure can make your child more resilient, better able to cope, and help them grow.

Incorporating resilience-building activities into daily routines can help children develop important coping and problem-solving skills. Here are some ways to incorporate these activities into daily routines:

Schedule daily light exercise:

Encourage your child to engage in light exercise such as stretching, yoga, or walking for 20-30 minutes with mindful intention

Use routines to build resilience:

Structure and routine can provide a sense of focus, help eliminate distractions, and provide consistency, which helps us form habits. Consider scheduling your daily routine, nurturing creativity through routine, and allowing yourself thoughtful mental and physical breaks throughout the day

Use resilience worksheets and games:

Use resilience worksheets, games, and exercises for youth, students, and adults to develop resilience. These activities can help you develop your resilience and realize how resilient you already are

Encourage gratitude walks:

Take your child on a gratitude walk, where they can focus on things they are grateful for

Try grit interviews:

Encourage your child to interview grandparents, neighbors, or other acquaintances who have worked hard toward a long-term goal. These interviews will teach your child how to live life with grit in addition to the benefits that come with passion and perseverance

Remember that building resilience in children takes time and effort. Incorporating resilience-building activities into daily routines can help your child develop important coping and problem-solving skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.